Addictive and Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

My sis-in-law and I were talking about using the powdered milk in our food storage. We like to rotate but just didn't have a lot of use for powdered milk. This recipe is so easy, full of protein, and pretty healthy (as far as treats go). Check out this link for the source.

Peanut Butter Balls
1 cup light (or regular) peanut butter
1 cup dry milk (fat free or low fat is fine)
1/2 cup honey (use 1/4 cup if you are doing light PB since it is sweeter)

Mix all together and form in 2 tsp. balls. With clean hands roll to smooth out. Put in fridge for an hour. Yum!

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

I am always looking for good treats that won't throw my blood sugar for a loop (after a time with gestational diabetes I am much more aware). These are the perfect pack of protein with a little sweet. When I go to the mall I LOVE the smell of the roasted almond cart. I am way too cheap though to buy them :) These are good and very inexpensive to make (I got my raw almonds for 2 bucks a pound at Winco). This recipe comes from the California Almond Board. We have been making them for years!
Roasted Almonds

3 cups whole raw almonds

2 egg whites at room temp

4 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup butter

Preheat oven to 325 place butter on a jelly roll pan and place in oven to melt. Meanwhile beat eggs until frothy, gradually add sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in almonds and cinnamon. Pour almond mixture in pan and toss with butter. Bake 40 minutes turning every 10 minutes until almonds are crisp. Almonds store for up to 2 weeks.

*Please note you will loose a good bit of the sugar....don't worry. You will think it is not going right....it is fine. You will think they will be naked when you are done....they won't be :)

Best and QUICKEST chicken taco soup

This month has been a good month for recipes at work. One of the girls I work with brought this and the smell drove me crazy! I had to ask her for the recipe. I only work 2 days a week but since I got the recipe I have brought it to work every Friday. This is one of those deals that you can make in an instant and it is even better when it sits in the fridge a couple of days. I have been freezing single servings and it defrosts GREAT. Lee and Keaton like it all dolled up as shown. I like it just plain or with a dollop of light sour cream.

Chicken Taco Soup

2 or 3 frozen chicken breasts (I use these chicken shreds)

1 pack Taco seasoning (I make my own)

1 pack of Ranch Dressing mix

1 can Rotel tomatoes

1 can black beans

1 can Kidney beans

1 can White beans

1 can Vegetarian baked beans (use the small can or 1/2 of large can)

1 can corn

This is the easy part! Throw it all in the crock pot in the order listed. Do not drain anything just throw it in. Cook on low 6-8 hours if using raw chicken. 1-2 if using shreds.

Voila!

OATMEAL chocolate cake

A gal that works with me handed out this recipe the other day. She said it was really good....and she was right. This was the moistest chocolate cake I have ever made. It uses Oatmeal and that is health food so this is good for you....RIGHT?!?!? I also used wheat flour....so Super health food :) If you love German chocolate cake you are gonna love this!

Chocolate Oatmeal Cake

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 cup oatmeal

let stand for 5-10 minutes

add to oatmeal mixture and mix well:

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 c sugar

mix together then add to wet:

1 cup flour (I used 7/8 wheat)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup cocoa

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 30 minutes frost when warm.

Coconut frosting

2 c powdered sugar

4 Tbsp butter

2 cups coconut

1/2 cup milk

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 3-4 minutes until thick.Do not over cook. Spread on warm cake.

Lemon Sorbet

I have to be honest with you. I have NEVER stopped at the 1/2 cup serving size on ice cream. I get started and bad things happen :) The other night I was wanting a treat and I had lemons from my Bountiful Basket but didn't want to make heavy/ time consuming lemon bars. This was a 3 minute fix and WONDERFUL. It was so refreshing and summery and was the perfect end to the day. The best part is I was completely satisfied after my 1/2 cup. Even better it was still great the next day (I think most homemade ice creams are not). I based this loosely on a Cooking Light recipe from ages ago. I am sorry there are no pictures. We were too busy enjoying. Maybe I will add them next time :)

Lemon Sorbet
2 cups water
1 1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon rind
1 cup lemon juice

Mix all together until the sugar is dissolved (2 or 3 minutes). Put into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer directions. When it is done take out and let it ripen in the freezer for an hour. Enjoy your taste of summer!

2 STEP Ice Cream/Lemonade Pie

This ice cream dessert is soooo easy, thus the name.

Step 1. Mix softened vanilla ice cream with semi-thawed frozen pink lemonade concentrate
Step 2. Dish into 2 graham cracker crusts (then Freeze em up - to be firm. of course :))

and Wa Laa your done.

Variations : Light vanilla ice cream and Crystal light lemonade powder (add water enough so it looks syrup-ish)

Or you can use Raspberry lemonade

ENJOY!!